Promote National Unity, Cleric Tells Nigerian Musicians

Mr Tony Zino, the pastor-in-charge of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province Four, on Sunday urged musicians to use music as a tool for national unity.

Zino, who is also an artist, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that “music is a great tool, especially when it has the right message for revival, for the individual and for the unity of the nation.

“My message to people who are into music is that they should get the message right.

“Once you are able to get the message right, there will be revival in people’s lives and there will be unity.

“So, I really want us to have an introspective examination of ourselves as individuals and as a nation.

“For musicians, you need to get it right. Let the focus not be on you, let the focus be on the message, because the message is what matters”.

The cleric said that Nigeria needed music that would convey moral values to build the nation. (NAN)

- See more at: http://nigerianpilot.com/cleric-urges-musicians-promote-national-unity/#sthash.Ze2Ai7dj.dpuf

Monsignor Ayodele Martins (1910-2014)

The Catholic Church in Nigeria, its Lagos Archdiocese and the Nigerian Christian community recently lost the country’s oldest Catholic priest, a teacher and a veteran of the Nigerian Army, Monsignor (Col.) Pedro Ayodele Martins (rtd), at the age of 103.
The well loved cleric died on May 16, 2014 from health complications related to old age. He made history as the first Lagosian to be ordained a Catholic priest, the pioneer Nigerian Catholic Chaplain of the Nigerian Army and the first Nigerian Director of the Nigerian Army Chaplaincy Services (Catholic).
Martins, who had his secondary school education at the famous King’s College, Lagos, before going into a seminary in Ibadan, the Oyo State  capital, was also reputed to be the oldest living retired military officer in the country before he passed on.
With his death, the Catholic Church has lost one of its renowned and dedicated priests, while the nation lost an outstanding compatriot, who believed strongly in one united and indivisible Nigeria.
Born in Lagos on November 16, 1910 to the family of Marcelino Domingo Martins and Regina Clarice Martins, the young Martins was ordained a priest by Bishop Patrick J. Kelly SMA of Benin City, in the present day Edo State, on August 8, 1943. After his ordination, he studied further at the University College, Cork, in Ireland.
The departed centenarian, who ministered as a priest for 70 years, also served humanity in different capacities. Besides being a teacher at St. Gregory’s College, Lagos, he ministered in several parishes in the Lagos Archdiocese. He served as the Vicar General to the then Archbishop of Lagos, now Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie. He was elevated to the position of a Monsignor in 1970.
Pedro Martins served in the Congo and with many Army formations in Nigeria. He was said in some quarters to have coined the Federal Military Government’s civil war slogan, “To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done.”
Since his death, prominent Nigerians have eulogised him in glowing terms. The President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Rev (Dr.) Felix Omobude, has thanked God Monsignor Martins’ good example, and urged all Nigerians to learn from his sacrificial life.
Similarly, the General Overseer of the Vineyard Christian Ministries Worldwide, Archbishop John Osa-Oni, saluted the courage and good example of the departed veteran priest and Army Chaplain.
Monsignor Pedro was a quintessential priest and a patriot. He will be remembered for his selfless service to the church, the nation and the society in general. It is good that he lived a life worthy of emulation and kept the faith without wavering. He was strictly devoted to his calling, and remained a shining example in this regard. Pedro brought honour and dignity to priesthood. For him, full devotion to the service of God was a vocation worthy of his entire life. Throughout his life, he upheld the respect and   dignity of the office of a priest. Pedro lived a life of Spartan self-discipline. His life is a vivid testimony to the fact that, with dedication, one can excel in any chosen field of human endeavour and impact the society positively.
Monsignor Martins, also, did not waver in his observance of the oaths of chastity, poverty and celibacy, that are taken by Catholic priests. He was a role model and an exemplary leader. His life touched so many people. We advise modern day Nigerian clerics, especially those of the Catholic faith, to study and emulate the good example of Pedro.
Above all, we urge the Catholic Church, Nigerian Army Chaplaincy authorities and the Federal Government to immortalise this exemplary cleric for his numerous positive contributions to the church, Army Chaplaincy and the nation.
We commiserate with his immediate family, the Catholic Church, the people of Lagos State and the Christian community in the country, on the passage of this great man. May God grant his soul eternal repose.
The Catholic Church in Nigeria, its Lagos Archdiocese and the Nigerian Christian community recently lost the country’s oldest Catholic priest, a teacher and a veteran of the Nigerian Army, Monsignor (Col.) Pedro Ayodele Martins (rtd), at the age of 103.
The well loved cleric died on May 16, 2014 from health complications related to old age. He made history as the first Lagosian to be ordained a Catholic priest, the pioneer Nigerian Catholic Chaplain of the Nigerian Army and the first Nigerian Director of the Nigerian Army Chaplaincy Services (Catholic).
Martins, who had his secondary school education at the famous King’s College, Lagos, before going into a seminary in Ibadan, the Oyo State  capital, was also reputed to be the oldest living retired military officer in the country before he passed on.
With his death, the Catholic Church has lost one of its renowned and dedicated priests, while the nation lost an outstanding compatriot, who believed strongly in one united and indivisible Nigeria.
Born in Lagos on November 16, 1910 to the family of Marcelino Domingo Martins and Regina Clarice Martins, the young Martins was ordained a priest by Bishop Patrick J. Kelly SMA of Benin City, in the present day Edo State, on August 8, 1943. After his ordination, he studied further at the University College, Cork, in Ireland.
The departed centenarian, who ministered as a priest for 70 years, also served humanity in different capacities. Besides being a teacher at St. Gregory’s College, Lagos, he ministered in several parishes in the Lagos Archdiocese. He served as the Vicar General to the then Archbishop of Lagos, now Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie. He was elevated to the position of a Monsignor in 1970.
Pedro Martins served in the Congo and with many Army formations in Nigeria. He was said in some quarters to have coined the Federal Military Government’s civil war slogan, “To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done.”
Since his death, prominent Nigerians have eulogised him in glowing terms. The President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Rev (Dr.) Felix Omobude, has thanked God Monsignor Martins’ good example, and urged all Nigerians to learn from his sacrificial life.
Similarly, the General Overseer of the Vineyard Christian Ministries Worldwide, Archbishop John Osa-Oni, saluted the courage and good example of the departed veteran priest and Army Chaplain.
Monsignor Pedro was a quintessential priest and a patriot. He will be remembered for his selfless service to the church, the nation and the society in general. It is good that he lived a life worthy of emulation and kept the faith without wavering. He was strictly devoted to his calling, and remained a shining example in this regard. Pedro brought honour and dignity to priesthood. For him, full devotion to the service of God was a vocation worthy of his entire life. Throughout his life, he upheld the respect and   dignity of the office of a priest. Pedro lived a life of Spartan self-discipline. His life is a vivid testimony to the fact that, with dedication, one can excel in any chosen field of human endeavour and impact the society positively.
Monsignor Martins, also, did not waver in his observance of the oaths of chastity, poverty and celibacy, that are taken by Catholic priests. He was a role model and an exemplary leader. His life touched so many people. We advise modern day Nigerian clerics, especially those of the Catholic faith, to study and emulate the good example of Pedro.
Above all, we urge the Catholic Church, Nigerian Army Chaplaincy authorities and the Federal Government to immortalise this exemplary cleric for his numerous positive contributions to the church, Army Chaplaincy and the nation.
We commiserate with his immediate family, the Catholic Church, the people of Lagos State and the Christian community in the country, on the passage of this great man. May God grant his soul eternal repose.
Culled from Sun Newspaper

Terrorism Has No Place in Islam- Sultan of Sokoto

The Sultan of Sokoto and President of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alh. Sa’ad Abubakar has condemned the Boko Haram Islamic sect, describing it as unislamic, as according to him, “terrorism has no place in Islam,”

He spoke at the National Prayer for Peace and Security, organised by the council at the National Mosque, Abuja, in Abuja, Sunday.
The leader of Nigerian Muslims told the gathering of Islamic clerics, traditional rulers and political leaders from Northern Nigeria and other parts of the country that there was need for all well-meaning members of the Nigerian public to unite against the insurgents.

His words, “we must rise up, as always, with one voice to condemn all acts of terrorism, condemn those terrorists wherever they are and try our possible best as Muslims to ensure peace reigns in our community”.
The Sultan, like many other respected Islamic leaders in Northern Nigeria have been severally criticized for keeping quiet about Boko Haram when they should have spoken to condemn the sect and join forces with security agencies to defeat the sect which President Goodluck Jonathan disclosed has killed more than 12, 000 Nigerians.
He pledged his commitment to assisting the government in the efforts to restor peace to the troubled Northern Nigeria, in Particular and the nation as a whole.
“We are committed to helping the government at all levels to bring peace in Nigeria. Whatever we can do, as long as it is not against Islam, we are ready to do it 100 percent,” he said.
The Sultan, himself a retired army officer said that the Boko Haram scourge was worse than a civil war since the members had no identity.
His words, “we have to make it very clear… that the situation in the country is very serious. You are fighting enemies with no boundary. Terrorists are everywhere. They are among us but we don’t know them.  In this case, you don’t know the enemy. The person sitting next to you might be one of those terrorists. You don’t know”.
Alh Abubakar also urged Muslims, especially those in leadership position to shun corruption and any act that could negatively affect the development of the country.
 Sambo calls for prayerIn his remarks, Vice President Arc Namadi Sambo  called on  the Muslim Ummah to pray fervently for continued peace in the country, saying “prayer is the panacea for all adversities”.
According to the Vice President Sambo,  prayer was a strong weapon against any adversity, adding that  the President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration is committed to providing adequate security and ensuring the stability and unity of Nigeria.
He noted: ” when any adverse situation befell the Ummah during the time of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and the Sahabah, their greatest weapon was resorting to prayers to seek for Allah’s intercession.
“We shall continue to organize prayers as frequently as possible and Allah SWT in his infinite mercy will answer our prayers in removing in totality the act of terrorism by the Boko Haram and all other vices in Nigeria.  Let me at this juncture urge all Nigerians to continue to pray for lasting peace and unity of our dear country.”
Namadi Sambo said the Muslim Ummah must continue to  promote the ideals of Islam by living according to its tenets peace, good neighbourliness and kindness.
He charged  Muslims  “not to allow the few disgruntled elements among us to portray Islam and Muslims in bad light,” even as he appealed to Muslim clerics to “apply modesty in their sermons and preaching, while admonishing adherence to the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW).”
On the ongoing efforts to ensure the safe return of the abducted Chibok girls, Vice President Sambo said the government was “working assiduously to support the efforts of the military by increasing their capacity in the search of our missing girls and to further secure the territorial integrity of the nation and make a call for the immediate release of these girls.”
Arc Sambo used the opportunity to express appreciation for the support of Nigeria’s neighbours, including, Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon and Benin Republic and all African countries in the fight against the scourge of terrorism in the country. He also commended the United Kingdom, France, as well as the United States of America, China and “all countries of the World that are against the terrorism that is happening in Nigeria, Africa and the World in general.”
Also speaking, the Speaker House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal said the National Assembly would do everything within its constitutional powers to support the government’s effort to fight terrorism.
Prayers were offered by renowned Muslim clerics from all over the country for continued peace, unity and the development of Nigeria at the event which was attended by the Acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar and many deputy governors, members of the legislature, federal executive council members, royal fathers and Muslim faithful.
 From Vanguard Newspaper

EFCC Begin probe of Assemblies of God Church in Nigeria

The crisis rocking the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria has taken another dimension as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun a probe into the financial transactions of the church following allegations of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds coming from the warring parties.
Top on the alleged scam is the purchase of N220 million property in Germany by the church through a loan obtained from a commercial bank.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that some key members of the church have been interrogated by operatives of the commission while others suspected  to be involved in the alleged scam have gone into hiding.
The probe is sequel to a petition by a faction of the church led by the Assistant General Superintendent, Rev Chidi Okoroafor, alleging that the  Executive Council of the church was neither privy to the property bought in Germany nor gave approved the purchase.
They alleged that the said property whose purchase was said to have been completed in 2011 was non-existent, adding that its embattled General Superintendent, Prof Paul Emeka, single-handedly handled the transaction.
But in a swift reaction, Emeka said his predecessor, Rev Charles Osueke, commenced the process of purchase of the property with an initial deposit of N20 million, adding that his administration continued with the transaction when it came on board four years ago.
He stated that the transaction was completed from a loan secured from the GT Bank, adding that the entire thing was based on the decision of the executive council of the church.
 Culled from Vanguard Newspaper

RCCG Prays for Abducted Schoolgirls

The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, yesterday, convoked an emergency prayer summit to pray for the safe release of the more than 275 schoolgirls adopted by the Islamic militant group, Boko Haram from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State, April 14, 2014.The intensive prayer summit which lasted for two hours took place in all the zonal headquarters of the church across the country, essentially for youths of the church as well as the safe release of the adopted schoolgirls and other social interruptions across the world.A letter convoking the prayer summit was written by the Special Assistant to the General Overseer of the church on Administration and Personnel, Pastor Johnson Odesola, and addressed to all provincial pastors in the church who were in turn advised to inform zonal pastors under them for implementation.The letter dated May 23, 2014 directed the emergency prayer summit should hold on Sunday from 12 noon to 2.00 p.m. in all zonal headquarters of the church, with prayers focused on the Chibok girls kidnapped over five weeks ago.Other areas which the letter directed attention to, was the Boeing 777 Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared en route Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014 with 239 passengers and crew aboard and other salient national and international issues e.g. bombings, storms, civil unrests etc.The letter made clear that the summit which targeted at the youth must hold on zonal basis with heavy youth participation but where any of the churches had a youth church, such youths should be encouraged to hold their own prayer summits.It stressed the need for all pastors-in-charge of provinces to encourage massive attendance of the youth and make sure they pass the information to their area and parish pastors, hoping that God would show mercy on the nation and intervene speedily as “we cry unto Him.”At the Testimony zonal headquarters of Lagos Province 9, near Oja Oba in Abule Egba, Lagos where our correspondent visited, the coordinators expressed holy anger as they led the large congregation to pray against the activities of the sect that calls itself Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad, or “people committed to the propagation of the prophet’s teachings and jihad.”It’s widely known as Boko Haram, which colloquially translates into “Western education is sin” for its rejection of Western concepts such as evolution and the big bang theories.In unison, they prayed: “Every power Boko Haram is relying upon; let God dismantle them…Confuse the language of Boko Haram that they may not understand themselves that they may release the adopted girls…Lord send ambushment to the camp of Boko Haram and free our girls from captivity unhurt…Let there be no peace for the wicked.''
Culled from Vanguard Newspaper

Nigerian Cleric Predicts More Deadly Boko Haram Attacks

Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke-Afa, Ejigbo, Lagos has warned of more deadly attacks by the Boko Haram terrorist group.
The cleric told Sunday Sun in an interview that the Federal Government must take advantage of assistance by foreign nations and deal with the looming threat to lives and property.
He also spoke about the 2015 general elections and the fate awaiting notable politicians and parties.
Excerpts:






In 2009, you predicted in your book, Warnings to the Nations, that there would be terrorists’ attack on Nigeria. Now we have Boko Haram, what do you say about this sect and the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls?
The government has been careless on the issue of Boko Haram. When a prophet gives a prophecy those in authority should see it as an alert for them to react swiftly to. They shouldn’t have ignored such warnings. The blame goes to the government. As for the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, definitely they have been scattered around in fewer numbers. And I can tell you that they are still very much in Nigeria as we speak, just like Mr. President has said. The point is that let’s pray that we get all of them. The chances are slim for us to get all the girls. And we are now just witnessing about one-third of the acts of terrorism that are coming. This is just a tip of the iceberg. There are more sinister, more deadly acts of terrorism coming.
I want to advise the government to seek for more help from America and other nations on the Boko Haram and terrorists’ activities, their origin and operations among others. That would go a long way in fighting future wars with terrorists because there would be more deadly attacks. It would also help the government to know more about other terrorists’ groups that are already in the country and those that are still coming.

You have also predicted foreign intervention in the security challenges and that has happened. Now with foreign assistance and pessimism in some quarters that the intervention could make the nation more vulnerable, what is your take?
The intervention of foreign aids to address the country’s insecurity challenge may demoralize our security operatives. The Nigerian government should realize this. Some of them may not be dedicated to their work as usual. Also, the intervention would be helpful to us but it would also expose our security system to the world. So, bringing foreigners to help in this situation, as good an initiative as it appears, is to me, like a small boy playing with a snake. The president must be very careful because like he knows already, there are terrorists in his government and in key institutions in the country. And again I am saying there is still bloodbath ahead, especially before the next elections. So, the government must take a decisive step to deal with the looming threat.

Before the former Central Bank governor, Lamido Sanusi was suspended, you had predicted that he would not complete his term, was it your prophecy that ousted him from office?
What I prophesied about Sanusi not completing his term was just a warning. One cannot say it was what removed him. But you see, when you give a warning, some people may not take it seriously. But the truth is that irrespective of your religion, level or status, you don’t have to ignore prophecies, even if you think it isn’t genuine. You should take steps towards averting the danger.
So, maybe Sanusi ignored the prophecy because it didn’t come from someone who shared same religion with him or not, I wouldn’t know.
As for the new governor of the Central Bank, he will also do well. I see that some banks would still change their names and our excess charges would also be stopped. He will try to perform but the man must be very careful so that people that would work with him would not stab him in the back. The man would do very well but I’m scared because of the policies in the sector, especially the foreign policies. He will have many enemies as well. The GDP that we have now is like a prophecy of a better future that the new CBN will be tasked to take us to but the tide ahead of him would be very rough. But I advise him to not only be focused but also be unbiased.

Before the incumbent Governor Raji Fashola was elected as the governor of Lagos State, you predicted that an unknown candidate would emerge as governor, are we also expecting another unknown person this time?
The APC must put their house in order for them to move ahead. If the party makes mistake about the next governor, that may lead to massive defection from the party.  This time, I’m seeing another unknown man becoming the governor and it would be from Ikorodu axis. He would also be a Christian.

You also predicted a conspiracy against President Jonathan before the mass defection of some lawmakers and governors. Those who have defected, what is their fate and would there still be another conspiracy against the president especially now that the general election is near?
For those who have defected they have slim chances, especially Rivers State. I don’t see APC winning. So also are the chances slim in Abia, Cross River and even Sokoto.
There will still be internal wrangling in the PDP. The Vice President must be very careful so that they won’t sacrifice his position during negotiations. He may not be Jonathan’s running mate in 2015. Jonathan should again be prepared for another conspiracy against him, this time from within the PDP. If he works very hard, he might be favoured but more sinister political manipulations and crisis await the 2015 elections.
Culled from Sun Newspaper

Wedding Of Daughter of RCCG Pastor Who Converted To Islam Was Called Off



Rev. Uzoechina and daughter

Charity Uzoechina, the daughter of Redeemed Christian Church of God Pastor, Raymond Uzoechina, who made headlines with her story of conversion to Islam, was set to marry the lawyer who handles her controversial case in court but the Niger state Government called it off.
Aisha (formerly known as Charity) Uzoechina, 26, was supposed to be marrying her Muslim lawyer, Barrister Tijani, reportedly on May 2. However, the Governor of Niger state, Babangida Aliyu, where Uzoechina resides, ordered that the wedding to be stopped as he got information that Aisha's parents were not informed of her upcoming wedding.
According to Vanguard, imams and other Muslim clerics were already gathered when the wedding was canceled.
The reason why Aisha didn't inform her parent about her upcoming wedding can be the differences between them about her conversion to Islam. Back in 2013, Aisha sued her parents for interfering in her decision to change religion.
Representative of the National body of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger state Chapter Chairman, Dr Musa Dada, had informed the State's Commissioner on Religious Matters and the Attorney General of the state about the upcoming wedding between Aisha and Barrister Tijani.
Aisha Uzoechina converted to Islam from Christianity in February, 2013. She has since been in the custody of the state government, residing with the deputy Governor, Alhaji Musa Ibeto.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/66597.html

Suicide Bombing Hits Christian Pocket of Kano, Nigeria

Christian sources said an apparent suicide bombing in a Christian area of northern Nigeria’s city of Kano Sunday night (May 18) killed about 20 people, more than the police tally of five.
The police death toll for the bombing at about 10 p.m. includes the bomber. The Rev. Murtala Marti of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Kano told Morning Star News by phone that about 20 people were killed in the attack in the Christian “foreign quarter” of the Muslim-majority city.
“The bomb attack occurred on Sunday night along Gold Coast Road in the Sabon Gari area here in Kano,” Marti said. “Twenty Christians were killed in the bomb blast, but police authorities are saying only five died.”
The Kano city Christian leader said that that Christians were killed along the road and in nearby restaurants and bars, though originally the likely target of the attack were three area churches.
“Most often the plot is to get at churches, but when it becomes impossible for the terrorists to get there, they usually detonate their bombs anywhere Christians are gathered, either in churches or restaurants,” Marti said.
Eyewitnesses told Morning Star News by phone that the lone bomber in the vehicle had sought directions to some of the churches from area Christians but detonated the bomb when the Christians became suspicious of his intentions. Area Christians blame Islamic extremist terrorist group Boko Haram for a suicide bombing that killed at least 24 people in Kano in July 2013 and 25 people in the city in March 2013, and one eyewitness assumed the assailant from last night’s bombing belonged to the group.
“The Boko Haram suicide bomber, on sensing that these Christians were suspicious about his inquiries on the churches, detonated the bomb along the road at No. 1 Middle Road, close to three churches,” said the source, who requested anonymity for security reasons.
The likely original targets, he said, were the Methodist Church of Nigeria, an Assemblies of God Church and a Universal Reformed Christian Church (NKST, Nongu u Kristu u i Ser u sha Tar) of the Tiv ethnic group, all located along Middle Road. The explosion occurred at the junction of Middle and Gold Coast roads.
Police confirmed that among those killed was a 12-year-old girl. Aderenle Shinaba, Kano state police commissioner, told reporters that five people were killed and four injured. He said the car exploded before reaching the bomber’s target of an area of an even more dense concentration of restaurants and bars on Gold Coast Road. Muslims are forbidden from drinking alcohol, and Boko Haram seeks to impose sharia (Islamic law) throughout the country.
While Boko Haram (translated as “Western education is a sin”) is the moniker residents of Maiduguri, Borno state gave the insurgents, the group calls itself the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, translated as “The Congregation of the People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad.” In 2013 the U.S. government designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and it has links with Al Shabaab in Somalia and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
Kidnapped Girls
In Nigeria’s northeast, U.S. British, French, Spanish and Israeli military units experienced in surveillance, intelligence-gathering, counterterrorism and hostage negotiations are helping to search for nearly 300 high school girls Boko Haram kidnapped on April 15, according to Fox News.
According to police, 276 girls remain in captivity after their abduction from a boarding school in the predominantly Christian town of Chibok, Borno state, while 53 escaped. Witnesses have said the captured girls were driven into the Sambisa Forest on the border with Cameroon, and that some were forced to marry members of the insurgent group while others may have been sent to other parts of Cameroon.
A video purporting to show the girls reciting the Koran does not include the kidnapped girls, a source told the Baptist Press. Adeniyi Ojutiku, co-founder of Lift Up Now, which addresses needs in his homeland of Nigeria, told the news agency that parents of the kidnapped girls were unable to identify their children in the video.
He said the video is most likely an effort to mislead those searching for the girls

Pregnant Woman in Sudan Could Be Executed for ‘Apostasy,’ Whipped for ‘Adultery’

 

A pregnant woman in Khartoum, Sudan raised as a Christian faces the death penalty for “leaving Islam” because her father was Muslim, sources said.
Meriam Yahia Ibrahim, 27, and her Christian husband also have a toddler son. As marriage to a Christian man is prohibited for a Muslim woman in Sudan, Ibrahim also could be given 100 lashes for “adultery,” the sources said. If convicted of “apostasy” and “adultery,” the whipping and execution would be administered soon after giving birth to her second child, due next month, according to a rights worker for Justice Center Sudan in Khartoum.
“We are fighting for Meriam’s life, freedom, and fair treatment – according to the law, if she had been a Muslim she should be killed soon after she gives birth to her child,” said the rights worker, whose identity was withheld for security reasons.
Married to a South Sudanese Christian who obtained U.S. citizenship several years ago, Ibrahim’s nightmare has included denial of bail, insufficient medical care for both her and her unborn child, beatings in prison and a U.S. Embassy that has offered little help, sources said.
“Meriam needs treatment every month to keep the unborn baby still in the mother’s womb, but no medical help has been allowed,” her husband, Daniel Wani, reported to Justice Center Sudan. “They are denying my wife her rights to fair treatment and my rights to visit and see my son.”
Their 20-month-old son, Martin Wani, is staying in prison with his mother, as Sudanese authorities have prohibited the boy’s father from caring for him because he is a Christian. Ibrahim has been incarcerated since February.
Justice Center Sudan is fighting the court’s charges of apostasy and adultery based constitutional rights to equality and freedom of religion. The center says constitutional rights should outweigh sharia (Islamic law). The Sudanese constitution stipulates Islamic law as a source of legislation, however, and since the secession of South Sudan in July 2011, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has vowed to make Sudan a more strictly Islamic country.
Rights workers are trying to pressure the government to give Ibrahim, a medical doctor who graduated from Khartoum University, fair treatment in prison and allow the baby to be with his father.
Accusing Wani of converting a Muslim woman to another religion and marrying her – although Sudanese law does not explicitly ban proselytism – authorities have taken Wani’s passport and forbidden him to travel.
Sudan’s notorious Public Order Court in El Haj Yousif in Khartoum North charged Ibrahim with apostasy and adultery on March 4, sources told Morning Star News. No one has been executed for apostasy in Sudan since the Sudan Criminal Code of 1991 made it punishable by the death penalty.
The couple also faces cancellation of their marriage, rights workers said.
“According  to Islamic laws, if a Muslim woman gets married to a non-Muslim man, then their marriage is not acknowledged legally,” one rights worker said. “She is then committing adultery, and her children are not recognized by law as children of legal marriage. That is why she is facing the charges.”
Khartoum state’s “public order” laws are based largely on strict Islamic law and give Public Order Police and judges wide latitude in arresting and sentencing suspects.
Ibrahim was born in a small town in western Sudan to an Ethiopian Orthodox mother and a Muslim Sudanese father. Her father disappeared from her life when she was 6 years old, and her Ethiopian Orthodox mother raised her in the Christian faith, sources said.
When life became hard for her and her mother, they decided to move to Khartoum in search of better school opportunities for Ibrahim and employment for her mother, sources said. Finding refuge in a neighborhood in Khartoum, they connected with a small church, and their lives moved on, according to Justice Center Sudan.
Ibrahim progressed in school and graduated from the prestigious School of Medicine at Khartoum University. Her mother died in 2011, leaving Ibrahim with a small but supportive community. She and Wani met at her church when he was visiting Khartoum from the United States; they soon fell in love and were married in a small church ceremony in Khartoum in 2012, Wani said.
Last year someone who said he was a relative of Ibrahim opened a case against them in Halat Kuku Court of Khartoum North for alleged “adultery” under article 146 of the Sudan Criminal Code because of her marriage to a Christian, rights workers said. Wani was accused of proselytizing a Muslim, and eventually authorities added the apostasy charge to Ibrahim.
Three witnesses from western Sudan came to Khartoum in March of this year to testify of Ibrahim’s lifelong Christian faith, they said.
“I am a Christian,” Ibrahim told the court in Khartoum on March 4, having provided her marriage certificate showing that she was a Christian and that the wedding ceremony was conducted in a Christian chapel in Khartoum in 2012.
Though no one has been executed for apostasy in Sudan since the 1991 law took effect, courts have forced people accused of leaving Islam to renounce their faiths.
While in jail Ibrahim  has been abused physically and emotionally, according to her husband. Muslim scholars have been visiting her, telling her to “turn back” to the religion of her father, but she has refused, he said.
One of the prison guards, Kawther Hassen, has mistreated Ibrahim and not allowed visitations or medical help. Her husband told Morning Star News that that a Muslim woman in the jail has incited other Muslims to make life difficult for Ibrahim.
“She is psychologically tired,” Wani said. “My wife was never a Muslim. As an American citizen, I ask the people and government of the USA to help me.”
The couple’s toddler boy is a U.S. citizen by virtue of his father’s U.S. citizenship, but Wani said U.S. Embassy officials in Khartoum have told him he must prove he is the father with a DNA test before they would try to help.
“I will have to take a DNA sample in Khartoum, then send it to the USA for testing,” Wani said. “I have provided wedding documents and the baby’s birth certificate, and doors were closed on his face.”
Wani told Morning Star News that when he called the U.S. Embassy on April 9, a representative in Khartoum told him they did not care about the case.
“I have tried to apply for papers to travel to the USA with my wife and child, but the American Embassy in Sudan did not help me,” Wani said. “My son is an American citizen living in a difficult situation in prison.”
Culled From Morningstar News

Bombs Explode in Mainly Christian Area of Jos, Nigeria

Suspected Islamic extremists set off two bombs in a mainly Christian area of the central Nigerian city of Jos today, causing massive destruction of human lives and property, sources said.
Two days after a suicide bombing in northern Nigeria killed an estimated 20 people, Islamic extremist Boko Haram rebels were suspected of setting off the bombs near shops belonging to Christians in the central market district of Jos. At press time an official with the National Emergency Management Agency said at least 45 people were wounded and 118 bodies had been recovered, with more expected to be found in the rubble.
The first bomb exploded at 3 p.m., with the second one detonated about a half hour later, as efforts were underway to evacuate the dead and wounded. The bombs were planted in the Railway Terminal area.
Shortly after escaping the blasts, a Christian woman who owns a shop in the area told Morning Star News she was returning to her business when she heard the explosions.
“I had left my shop and went out and was just returning when the bombs exploded,” said the woman, who requested anonymity. “I put through a phone call to some of my colleagues, and they confirmed that three Christian brethren, a man named Dauda, and two other Christian women, have died from the blast.”
At the Plateau State Specialist Hospital morgue, so many charred corpses were placed on the floor by emergency rescue workers and the Red Cross that a Morning Star News correspondent could not take count of them. The same situation prevailed at the morgues of Jos University Teaching Hospital and the Bingham University Teaching Hospital.
Boko Haram, which seeks to destabilize the government by creating religious tensions in its bid to impose sharia (Islamic law) throughout Nigeria, has bombed sites in the capital city of Abuja and in states in its base in the northeast. In Jos, it claimed responsibility for the bombing of a church on Christmas Day of 2011.
The group is suspected in the suicide bombing of a Christian area of northern Nigeria’s city of Kano on Sunday night (May 18) that killed about 20 people, though police said the toll was only five including the bomber.
The Rev. Jerry Faruk, director of Missionary Support Ministry, said Christians need to respond with prayer.
“We have hope that there is a solution in sight, as we know that God answers the prayers of the just,” he said. “We have been praying for the Nigerian government, asking for God’s wisdom for it to enable it take measures to contain the situation. We believe that at the appointed time, this problem of insecurity shall be overcome.”
The Rev. Alex Maisani of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) said the time for the Nigerian government to act is now.
“This is terrible and barbaric,” Maisani said. “The time for Nigerian Government to act to save the lives of innocent people is now. We cannot continue to have situations like these happening. God will no doubt hold our leaders accountable for not acting to check this menace that is overwhelming our nation.”
He added that Christians in Nigeria have prayed and fasted over the crisis.
Paul Gadzama, director of Relief Missions, a ministry to the persecuted, told Morning Star News that the government needs to step up efforts.
“The bomb attacks on Christians are an indication that these forces of evil are bent in ensuring that we no longer have peace in this country,” he said.
The government, still reeling from the kidnapping of more than 300 high school girls from Chibok, Borno state on April 15, released a statement today saying that President Goodluck Jonathan described the bombers as “cruel and evil” and condemned the “tragic assault on human freedom.”
“Jonathan has directed all relevant agencies to mobilize support and relief efforts in aid of the victims,” said the statement from Reuben Abati, special adviser to the president on media and Publicity.
While Boko Haram (roughly translated as “Western education is a sin”) is the moniker residents of Maiduguri, Borno state gave the insurgents, the group calls itself the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, or “The Congregation of the People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad.” In 2013 the U.S. government designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and it has links with Al Shabaab in Somalia and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
Culled from Morningstar News

Christian Convert Beaten, Arrested

Within three weeks of putting his faith in Christ, a 26-year-old former Muslim in western Kenya was beaten in a mosque and later arrested without charges, Christian leaders said.
Hassan Hussein Mohammed wouldn’t normally have admitted to being a Christian while attending mosque prayers. But he had to explain why his mind and tongue froze last month when told to lead prayers at a mosque in Mogotio, they said.
Sent to Mogotio for an internship from a mosque in Nyahururu, where he was training to become a Muslim leader, Mohammed met people from a church in the town in Baringo County. Members of a King’s Outreach Church in Mogotio spoke with him about Jesus, and on April 10 he met with church leaders.
“I have just come and want to be prayed for to be a follower of Jesus,” Mohammed told them.
Pastor Victor Kurui prayed for him, and Mohammed received Christ, they said.
Mohammed later went to the mosque only to collect his identification papers, but leaders ordered him to stay and conduct evening prayers. After some hesitation, he agreed. A voice within, he later told church leaders, told him not to lead the prayers, and when he tried to say them his mind blanked. He then admitted that he had accepted “Isa,” Jesus.
Those in the mosque beat him with a blunt object, kicked him and struck him until he was unconscious, he told church leaders. When he regained consciousness a few minutes later, he said, “I am ready to die for Isa, and I forgive you for what you have done to me,” the church leaders told Morning Star News.
He managed to get away and slept in a nearby sisal plantation for two of the next three nights before visiting the church’s Sunday worship on April 13, where he gave the congregation testimony of his conversion. One of the pastors, Johana Cheruiyot, invited him to stay at his house.
News of his conversion spread, and the next day Mohammed received phone threats from Muslims saying they no longer wanted to see him.
“You will regret why you left the prophet’s religion,” said one anonymous text message, church leaders said.
The church participated in a King’s Outreach Church revival event in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, 313 kilometers (192 miles) west of Nairobi, on April 18-20, that Mohammed attended. On April 30, Mohammed, pastor Kurui and pastor Cheruiyot were arrested in Mogotio and put in custody for the night. The reasons for Mohammed’s arrest were unclear, but apparently his being a Muslim from outside the area raised suspicions as Kenya cracks down on an increasing extremist presence – with his conversion to Christianity possibly raising even more suspicions.
“Mohammed had one message all through his interrogation – that he had made a sound, conscious personal choice of embracing the Christian faith,” said pastor Cheruiyot. “He kept saying, ‘I converted to Christianity, and I have left Islam.’ This was a big surprise to those who were interrogating him.”
Someone had reported to authorities that pastor Cheruiyot was housing Mohammed, and the pastor was surprised to the see the lead security officer arrive at his house with 20 policemen who arrested him, Mohammed and later pastor Kurui for questioning. The pastors were questioned about Mohammed and his conversion.
The three Christians were taken to Eldoret police on May 1, and the two pastors were released after recording their statements. When the pastors last saw Mohammed, he was still in the vehicle that had taken them to Eldoret. His whereabouts are now unknown.
The pastors tried to persuade officers that Mohammed was not a suspicious character and should be set free, they said. Originally from Marsabit in northern Kenya, Mohammed was known as a law-abiding citizen and was not “in hiding” at the pastor’s house but moved about openly with him, they told police.
Terrorist attacks have increased in Kenya as Somali rebel militia from the Islamic extremist Al Shabaab group have been driven into Kenya by Kenya-led forces fighting them in Somalia, and authorities are increasingly wary of Muslims. Kenya is a 83 percent Christian while only 8 percent are Muslim, according to Operation World.
Muslims in Kenya are increasingly associated with terrorism, a Kenyan Muslim told Morning Star News.
“We are being stopped by policemen and asked to produce identification cards,” he said. “We are now living under fear.”
The two pastors said security officers repeatedly asked them why Mohammed decided to convert to Christianity.
Given the threats area Muslims made against Mohammed, the two pastors suspect those at the mosque may have tried to frame him as terrorist. Both pastors are from Mogotio, and pastor Cheruiyot housing a new convert should not have caused such alarm, they said.
Authorities have impeded the pastors from making contact with Mohammed. The two church leaders told Morning Star News that Mohammed genuinely converted to Christianity.
“We are requesting prayers for the release of Mohammed,” said pastor Kurui.
The two pastors have been ordered to report to Mogotio police on June 2, when they hope officers will cooperate with them in their efforts to learn Mohammed’s location.
Culled from Morningstar News

“Jesus Not Coming Back By The Looks Of It” Admits Vatican Cardinal

Cardinal Giorgio Salvadore has officially announced that this years 1,981st anniversary is to be the Vatican’s last in regards to waiting for the Lord to return to Earth. But he urged followers to still continue with their faith, regardless of the news.

Cardinal Salvadore said, “We just feel Jesus is not coming back by the looks of it. It’s been ages like. He’s probably flat out doing other really good things for people somewhere else.”
In chapter John 14:1-3 of the Bible, Jesus promised his disciples that he would come again: “There are many homes up where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with Me where I am. If this weren’t so, I would tell you plainly.”
Cardinal explained Jesus’ broken promise saying that he was probably drinking wine at the time when he made the comments. “Having the ability to turn water into wine had its ups and its downs. We all make promises we can’t keep when we’re drunk. Jesus was no different,” added Cardinal Salvadore.
The church said it will now focus attentions on rebuilding its reputation around the world, but will keep an optimistic mind for the savior’s second coming.

Fish out fifth columnists, CAN President warns military

The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, on Tuesday in Abuja made a passionate demand that the military should identify and fish out any of its officers found to have sympathy for members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

The CAN President also stated that he did “not envy President Goodluck Jonathan because of the complex security challenges he is facing.”

Oritsejafor said these at the National Executive Council meeting of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria.

He said  although the military had done very well in combating the insurgents which had held the country to ransom in the last few years, there were areas it had to improve upon to wipe out members of the sect.

According to him, one of the things he would want the security agencies to do was to recruit more so that they would have enough men on the ground to face the insurgents who seem to be multiplying on a daily basis.

As part of the strategies to win the war against terrorism, Oritsejafor urged the Federal Government to direct the Air Force to commence daily air surveillance, including getting honest people to man the nation’s borders.

He said, “I believe that the military are doing their best. They are trying, they are working hard. I will never join those who condemn the security agencies. If they are not here, what could we have done?

“We should be grateful to God for them and not demoralise them. They have done well. Yes, there is room for improvement. They need to recruit more people because they are short of manpower. In doing that, they should be careful about the type of people they recruit as they will try to infiltrate them.

“There are many other things that need to be done because even within them, there are those who are sympathetic to the insurgents.

“They should find ways to identify them and fish them out. If they can’t completely do that, they should not give them responsible  positions.”

Also speaking, RTEAN President, Chief Alhaji Musa Isiwele, called on President Jonathan to do everything within his power to protect the lives of its members and commuters who had in recent times been victims of Boko Haram attacks.

He said Oritsejafor was invited to the association’s NEC meeting in recognition of his desire and love for peace in the country.

“Our great association is of the view that matters of road safety and security of all commuters in all our various parks nationwide should go beyond advocacy,” he said.

Meanwhile, worried by the activities of a group believed to have a link with the dreaded Boko Haram sect which has caused crisis in the major parts of the North Eastern part of the country, Niger state Government has set up a two-man committee to investigate the activities of the sect believed to have a base in Bida town.

Governor Babangida Aliyu, acting on security report given by the League of Imams in the state, set up a two-man committee to investigate the activities of the sect.

Aliyu on Tuesday gave members of the committee three days to complete their assignment and report back to him to enable government to take a decisive action. He also directed members of the panel to dialogue with the Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger state council of Traditional rulers as whose domain the alleged sect members are based.

Also speaking on the rising insecurity, a  member of the House of Representatives  from Chibok in Borno State, Mr Peter Biyo,  on Tuesday asked the Federal Government to destroy the Sambisa forest, where the dreaded Boko Haram sect used as fortress, to end the activities of the insurgents in the North-eastern part of the country.

Biyo noted that the forest which harboured wild animals had been a den for the terrorists and that the only way to dislodge the Boko Haram sect currently terrorising the North-East was to flatten the forest.

The lawmaker added, “I grew up as the only Christian in my family, even in my clan I’m the only Christian, all my brothers and other  relations are Muslims. Among my Muslim relations, many were killed. If it were a religious war, they would have searched for me and killed me or they should kill Christians and spare Muslims''.